


When the Shadows Reach Gotham (alternate scenarios, etc.)

by Raberba girl (Raberba_girl)



Series: When the Shadows Reach Gotham [2]
Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Alternate Universe of an Alternate Universe, Child Neglect, Children, Don’t copy to another site, Friendship, Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Jack & Janet Drake's A+ Parenting, Minor proofreading we have a brush with death like mne, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Rating May Change, Rough Draft, Sephiroth & Jenova's A+ Parenting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-28
Updated: 2019-04-26
Packaged: 2019-11-07 06:03:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,936
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17954969
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Raberba_girl/pseuds/Raberba%20girl
Summary: Alternate scenarios, etc. forWhen the Shadows Reach Gotham, a Batman/KH crossover focused on Riku & Tim Drake's friendship.*Please note that the rating for this fic might eventually change!Latest update: A version of events where young Tim really does bring his new friend Riku home to live in the attic of Drake Manor.





	1. Alternate scenario: A Friend in the Attic - Part 1

When the Shadows Reach Gotham, a Batman / Kingdom Hearts / Final Fantasy VII crossover fanfic by Raberba girl  
Alternate scenario: A Friend in the Attic - Part 1 (rough draft)  
  
A/N: A few weeks ago, I asked my friend breezy-cheezy for a prompt list, and one of them was an AU where Tim actually does take Riku home with him to live in his attic. XD This one's for you, dear!

**I still haven't installed MS Word yet, so ALL THE ITALICS ARE MISSING AGAIN, sorry!**  
  
o.o.o  
  
Tim still hadn't gotten used to it yet, which was actually kind of nice. Every morning, he woke up and then a moment later, got an excited thrill in his stomach when he remembered that his friend was still here.  
  
On the other side of the bed, Riku looked up from his tablet and smiled. He had learned, after the first morning, to stick around until his companion woke up, otherwise Tim would think he'd only been dreaming. Riku never wanted to see that broken look on his friend's face again. "Good morning, Tim."  
  
"Morning, Riku. Oh! We're gonna try out the rice cooker today, right?" Since the boys had such different tastes, they'd fallen into an alternating routine, and today they were doing Japanese food. Riku had been making rice from scratch, but it took a long time that way. Tim had ordered a rice cooker online with a spare credit card his parents never used, and it had arrived the day before.  
  
"Yes. We should be able to eat a lot quicker today."  
  
They padded down to the kitchen, both still wearing the clothes they'd slept in. Tim turned on the kitchen TV so he could hear the news while he helped Riku cook.  
  
"...but fortunately for the mayor, Batman and Robin managed to thwart the plan before any harm was done."  
  
Tim smiled as he stirred the soup. "Batman and Robin are pretty cool, huh."  
  
"It's amazing that your city has people like them. I've never seen vigilantes anywhere else, but they're so common in this universe."  
  
"How do people fight crime where you live? Not ordinary crime; stuff like evil plans from supervillains."  
  
"Hm...I guess it's not very organized? Sometimes people threaten to destroy the world, and other people stop them. Most people don't know what's going on, though. I only know about some of them because Father and Zack work for Shinra." Riku was quiet for a long time as he worked. "I think my parents might be 'supervillains,'" he said in a low voice.  
  
"Really? Did they ever try to destroy the world?"  
  
"They always talk like they're trying to save it, or...not 'save,' exactly...." This time as Riku thought silently, he was concentrating too hard to continue cooking. Tim gently lowered the heat on the stove. "I think they think they're trying to save it," Riku said at last, unhappily, "but...they might...not be." He sighed deeply. "I think that's why Genesis and Angeal left. Zack doesn't know why and he gets sad sometimes, or mad, but if Shinra's really...the bad guys on my world...that makes a lot more sense."  
  
"Do you want to be a supervillain like them, or do you want to be a superhero and stop them?" Tim asked.  
  
Riku blinked. "I can be a superhero??"  
  
"Sure. Well, maybe when you get a little older, like thirteen, maybe twelve. But yeah - there's lots of kid superheroes! Like Robin. Ooohh, and you can join the Teen Titans! I bet they'll like you a lot."  
  
Riku was starting to look like a deer in headlights.  
  
"Or if you're shy," Tim backtracked, "you can just help people in the shadows like Batman does. People know who he is now because Robin's so loud, and he joined the Justice League, and stuff like that; but back in the old days before Robin, Batman was so quiet when he fought crime that a lot of people didn't even think he was real. You can be a hero like that, if you want."  
  
"Hmmm." The rice cooker dinged. "Can I think about it later?"  
  
"Sure!"  
  
The day passed happily. Tim had once found his home incredibly lonely and boring, but now it was a paradise. He hadn't even practiced the piano or struggled to read his parents' latest articles in days, he was so busy. The only reason he'd remembered to spend a few hours on Brightstar Academy assignments was because Riku had had to go through some reports from Shinra, and Tim had remembered that he needed to keep up with school.  
  
The rest of the time, the boys worked on their own projects and adventures. Over the passing weeks, they filled backpacks and hiked all over the grounds, finding interesting things to catalog. Tim took photos and Riku practiced his various skills (he had a lot of them). The two of them did combat training together, Riku teaching Tim most of it but being curious about Tim's karate videos. They experimented with cooking recipes and shared funny YouTube videos. They did science experiments and built toy models or obstacle courses that took up entire rooms. Riku watched curiously as Tim ordered interesting or useful things from the Internet, which would appear like magic by the front gate the next day. They took the bus into town to run errands or just explore the city.  
  
It was heaven, and neither of them wanted it to ever end.  
  
Mondays were the worst, because that was when the housekeeper always came. Tim had once longed for and looked forward to Mondays, but now they were a tiresome interruption. They'd have to wake up extra early, eat a quick breakfast, clean up any evidence of their adventures, then Riku would be stuck in the attic all day as Tim, unable to concentrate well, was super-bored waiting for Mrs. Mac to leave.  
  
"Are you sure you're okay, honey?" she asked, feeling his forehead for the third time that morning. "Usually you're constantly underfoot and chattering a mile a minute, but nowadays, it's like you can't wait to be rid of me."  
  
"Sorry, Mrs. Mac," Tim said. "It's good to see you. How's Allison and the baby?"  
  
"Oh, well wouldn't you know, that little rascal did the funniest thing the other day...!"  
  
Tim smiled and listened politely as the housekeeper rambled about her family's antics, all the while thinking restlessly of Riku waiting in the attic. When the story (and the four after that which had segued too smoothly to interrupt) finally ended, Tim said quickly, "I think I'm gonna play outside for a while."  
  
"Oh. Well, you want me to make you a snack before you go?"  
  
"No, I'm fine. Thank you, Mrs. Mac!" Tim called, already almost to the next room.  
  
He made his way outside, to the side of the house that had the best attic access, and climbed up. Some parts were harder than others, so it took a while, but he finally made it up to the right window. He nudged and jiggled until it was open, then slipped inside.  
  
"Tim?" Riku, slightly dusty, stepped out from behind a sheet-covered piano.  
  
"Hi, Riku. I told her I was going to play outside for a while."  
  
"I see."  
  
They made a board game out of the bag of art supplies Riku had brought up, and played it three times in a row. Then Tim heard Mrs. Mac calling him down for lunch, so he went. He finished eating quickly, smuggling bits of food as he went, and brought up the loot to Riku. Then they both just lay around reading for a while, then Tim started showing Riku cat videos on his phone. He had the volume turned low, but they must have been laughing too loudly, because Tim suddenly heard Mrs. Mac calling up to him in concern.  
  
He raced downstairs, skidded to a stop, and smiled winningly. "Sorry, Mrs. Mac. I was watching videos on the Internet."  
  
"I'll say! Sounded like there was more than one boy up there!"  
  
"Yeah, it-- It was a recording of something funny, and the people making the video were laughing, too. Sorry."  
  
"It's okay, hon. Why, Gertie was showing me a video just the other day, it made me laugh like anything...!"  
  
Tim endured the next round of storytelling, and eventually escaped to watch a documentary in the living room. He perked up at the eventual smell of cooking food, then at long last, Mrs. Mac came to the threshold, already with her hat, buttoned-up sweater, and purse. "Well, I'm off, dear. There's a plate already made up for you, and the rest is cooling on the counter, make sure you put it all in the refrigerator after one hour, dear, no more than that. I set the timer."  
  
"All right, Mrs. Mac," Tim said, going to hug her.  
  
"You be good now, Timothy."  
  
"Yes, Mrs. Mac."  
  
She kissed the top of his head and held him for a long moment. Then she muttered something about "parents" and "this empty old house," and finally, FINALLY left.  
  
Tim watched until the front gates closed, then leaped to his feet and raced up to the attic. "RIKU, ALL CLEAR!!" he shouted.  
  
Riku came down the last flight of stairs to meet him, smiling in response to Tim's huge grin. "What did she make?"  
  
"Some kind of stew, and spaghetti for later in the week. We can eat that first if you want, though."  
  
"It doesn't matter to me."  
  
Halfway through dinner, the phone rang. When Tim saw the name on the caller ID, he snatched up the receiver. "Mom?" he asked breathlessly.  
  
"Hello, darling! How are you?"  
  
"I'm good! Hi, Mom! Is Dad there?"  
  
"Right here, sport," a jovial voice said. They must have had the phone on speaker.  
  
"Did Mrs. Mac come today?" Janet asked.  
  
"Yup. I was good and didn't make any trouble for her."  
  
"I'm glad to hear it."  
  
"Did you find any cool stuff today?"  
  
"Not any 'stuff' per say, but we ran into a funny little man in town who had the most intriguing story, just wait until you hear this...!"  
  
Tim settled in to listen, murmuring and laughing at the right places, but focusing mostly on just the sounds of his parents' voices. They both sounded so happy, so bright and excited, he wished...he wished they could sound like that while they were here with him. Or that he could be over there with them when they sounded like that. But he was too young to travel around the world with them and be trusted with their work, so he just had to wait until he was older.  
  
It was really nice of them to call sometimes, though, and tell him what they'd been up to. Sometimes they sent postcards. Tim had every one from the past year pinned up on a bulletin board in his room, with older ones in an album that he looked at sometimes when he knew he wouldn't mind crying.  
  
When he finally hung up, he sat there for a long time, wondering why he was having to hold back tears when he'd just felt so happy. He just...he missed his parents and it was always good to hear from them, but then he got really sad right after. Whereas when they hadn't called in a while, he was usually too busy doing his own things, and now playing with Riku, for missing them to hurt as much....  
  
Oh. Riku. He was watching, a cup of tea nestled in his hands. Tim forced a laugh that was more like half-cough and half-sob, and rubbed his eyes to soothe them, because he hadn't cried but they were stinging uncomfortably. "Sorry."  
  
"Did they tell you about all the mistakes you made?"  
  
"Huh? No, we were just talking about stuff they've been doing the past couple of months, the things they found."  
  
"You look really sad...."  
  
"Oh! No, I'm not sad, I just, my face just does this sometimes when my parents call. But I'm actually really happy!"  
  
Riku, who had seen Tim when he was genuinely happy and knew that his friend was not so now, did not know how to respond to this.  
  
Tim sniffed and visibly perked up. "You want me to show you how to get onto the Wayne property? The cemetery's really nice. We have to stay on the edge so they won't see us from the house, but some of those old graves are really pretty. Sometimes I clean them, because Mr. Pennyworth only gets to three, maybe five graves after the Waynes' - Thomas and Martha - before his phone goes off, he doesn't have much time for outside work. And he likes working in the greenhouse more. There are some really pretty flowers in there, I can show you next time Mr. Pennyworth goes to town. We have to go early in the morning, none of the Waynes will be awake then, so we won't get caught."  
  
Riku smiled, gently interrupting his friend, who could get pretty verbose when he was excited about something. "That sounds good, Tim. Can we watch that Hubble Space Telescope documentary tonight?"  
  
"Oh yeah, I forgot about that! Sure, Riku."  
  
TBC  
  
A/N: Unlike with The Birds Who Smile, I don't think there's much preventing me from continuing with the main When the Shadows Reach Gotham story, so I'll see what I can do about that.


	2. Alternate scenario: A Friend in the Attic - Part 2

**_When the Shadows Reach Gotham_ ** **, a Batman / Kingdom Hearts / Final Fantasy VII crossover fanfic by Raberba girl**

**Alternate scenario: A Friend in the Attic - Part 2 (rough draft)**

 

Sometimes Tim was the one who had to hide. The first time they heard a sound like an aerial vehicle descending outside, Riku gasped and grabbed Tim, who was staring curiously out the windows, trying to figure out the shape of the thing from the shadow it was casting. "Hide hide hide, Tim, don't come out, don't come out until I tell you...!"

 

"What--?"

 

Riku shoved his friend into the closest entrance to the servants' corridors and slammed the door shut before dragging a decorative table in front of it. He raced into the parlor, which was suitably elegant and not messed up from his and Tim's activities, and frantically stopped in front of the mirror to straighten up his appearance as best he could.

 

Yazoo came striding in a few minutes later. "Riku. Mother is angry that she can't find you."

 

"Is she?" Riku said loftily, his pounding heart at odds with the slow, careful way he'd started the first kata that came into his head.

 

Yazoo frowned judgmentally. "Why are you training in a guest reception room?"

 

"Too many pests in the garden," Riku invented on the spot. "I've arranged to have a menial come to exterminate them. Though I might get bored and eradicate them myself, to brush up on my skills."

 

Yazoo sighed in dismissal; he honestly couldn't care less. "Are you coming home, or do I have to force you?"

 

"What does Mother want _this_ time?"

 

"Hojo has locked up Mother, Father does not feel inclined to rescue her, Kadaj has been arrested again, and Loz is injured. She wants you to get her out."

 

"Why don't _you_ get her out?"

 

"My schedule is full, and even if it wasn't, I need time to relocate the rest of my headquarters in case she decides to destroy Midgar when she's free."

 

Riku knew better than to ask about all the people who would get hurt or killed if Jenova successfully vented her wrath on the city.

 

" _I'm_ busy, too."

 

"Doing what?" Yazoo challenged. "You don't look busy to me." He looked around. "Whose house is this, anyway?"

 

"How should I know? They're gone now. This place suited me."

 

Yazoo sneered, unimpressed. "It's a very impractical base of operations. Why this world? Do you have any designs on it?"

 

"I'm still deciding whether it's worth my time."

 

His brother finally grew bored and lost interest. "Well, you have the message, do what you will with it. I'm not traversing worlds again just to be Mother's errand boy, so come home soon, you selfish ingrate."

 

Both of them knew that for all Yazoo's rebellious words, he would obey immediately whenever Mother or Father gave him an order. Riku did not mention that. "I prefer the opportunities here, but I'll consider it."

 

Without a goodbye, Yazoo turned and marched away. Riku went to the window and watched intently until his brother's ship vanished into the sky. He waited ten more minutes, just to be sure, then went to track down Tim in the servants' corridors.

 

"Who was that?" Tim asked. He'd been spying through a peephole in a portrait that had been designed for that specific purpose three generations before and then forgotten about, until he'd re-discovered it a few months ago.

 

"Someone I don't want knowing about you," Riku muttered. "Stay away from him, Tim, and anyone who looks like him. They're dangerous."

 

Tim tilted his head. "You look like him."

 

Riku grimaced. "I'm dangerous, too. The only difference is I don't _want_ to hurt you."

 

"You're nice, Riku."

 

The comment, dropped so casually, gave Riku a half-ashamed, half-delighted glowing feeling.

 

"Can we get back to the game now?"

 

"Yes, but I have to leave for a while afterward."

 

Tim looked stricken.

 

"It's because of my family," Riku explained. "I promise I'll come back, Tim, okay?"

 

"Okay," Tim whispered.

 

They tried to resume their game, but Tim's heart obviously wasn't in it, and Riku seemed unhappy and preoccupied. Eventually they gave up and Riku packed a bag and called Zack. While they waited for the ship to arrive, they sat together on the back terrace, neither of them saying anything.

 

Eventually, a shadow blocked out the sun again, but Tim barely looked up. A few minutes later, a cheerful man with spiky black hair came striding toward them. "Riku!"

 

"Zack!"

 

"So this is where you've been all this time, huh?" the man chuckled, ruffling Riku's hair.

 

"Yes, Tim has been letting me stay here with him. I like it...better than home."

 

"Well, it's good to see you with a friend." Zack smiled at Tim. "I'm Zack Fair, SOLDIER First Class. Riku here is a buddy of mine."

 

"Hello," Tim said politely, holding out a hand to shake. "I'm Tim Drake."

 

They chatted for a few minutes longer, then the two Gaians boarded the ship and flew away. Tim sat back down at the table, put his head in his arms, and was sad.

 

He blinked when he realized that the sun was setting - he must have fallen asleep. He trudged inside, feeling heavy and fatigued despite his nap, and felt too depressed to warm up anything to eat. He put on a video game and played for hours, until his eyes felt gritty and his stomach was churning with hunger. He went to the kitchen and ate half a box of pre-packaged dessert cakes. He sat there on the floor of the pantry for a long time and cried, then fell asleep again.

 

He woke up because someone was shaking him. "Tim? Tim, are you okay?"

 

"Riku," Tim breathed. Riku's hands were on his shoulders. He grasped the other boy's arms and then just sat there for a while, feeling content.

 

"Are you okay?" Riku asked again, still worried. There were a few rips in his clothes, some sort of grime or oil streaked across his cheek and neck, and some minor but untreated cuts and bruises marring his pale flesh.

 

"Yeah. I'm glad you're back." Tim frowned a little. "Are _you_ okay?"

 

"Yes, I'm fine. I couldn't find you at first. Why were you sleeping in here??"

 

"I was...." Tim shifted uncomfortably. "Let's go get the first aid kit, you need some Band-Aids."

 

"I need a bath, too," Riku said.

 

When they finally went to bed, they slept closer together than usual, nearly touching. By the time they woke up late the next morning, Tim was nestled right into Riku, who had his arm flung across the smaller boy and his cheek pressed against Tim's hair. Both of them felt awkward at the physical closeness neither of them were accustomed to, but each also thought secretly to himself that it had also felt kind of nice, even safe.

 

"I'm glad you came back, Riku."

 

"Me, too."

 

o.o.o.o.o

 

Tim wasn't sure what had awakened him. He sat up abruptly and focused on the darkness of his bedroom, frowning as he listened and watched.

 

There was a faint clatter in the distance.

 

Tim scrambled out of bed, and Riku jerked awake. "What is it?!"

 

"Something's wrong." Tim hauled on the armor he'd made for combat games with Riku, and picked up his toy staff that was solid enough to work as a real staff.

 

Riku could hear it now, too, noises and faint voices from downstairs as if there were people in the house other than themselves. Burglars? "Shouldn't the alarm have gone off?"

 

"Yeah, I-- I thought I checked it? Maybe I forgot to set it last night...?" Tim said doubtfully, knowing that he _had_ set it. Schooled by all the lonely, scary nights he'd spent by himself before befriending Riku, it was an ingrained habit by now.

 

"I won't let anyone hurt you, Tim," Riku said, strapping on his belt of materia.

 

The boys crept downstairs. They followed the commotion and peered around the corner. Then a woman's laugh rang out, and Tim gasped. Riku caught a glimpse of a man and a woman (they didn't _look_ like burglars) lounging around the kitchen, the man pouring them glasses of wine. Then his friend was shoving him back toward the stairs. "What is it?! Who are they?!"

 

"It's Mom and Dad! They didn't call, I thought they weren't coming until-- Hide, Riku! The attic!"

 

Riku, realizing that this was like the times when the housekeeper came, pulled away and rushed up the rest of the stairs. Tim took a deep breath, hid his weapons and armor, tried to remember how to arrange his face, then crept shyly into the kitchen. "Mom? Dad?"

 

"Timothy, darling! What are you doing up?"

 

Tim ran to them, and basked in his mother's hug. She kissed the top of his head, then let go of him far sooner than he wanted to be. So he turned to his father, who stretched out an arm to ruffle his hair before he could get near, and Tim knew that a hug would be awkward and one-sided, so he stopped trying for one before even starting. "I couldn't sleep. I didn't know you were coming home!"

 

"Funding got cut, blast it.... We're here to make a petition to the directors, maybe do some fundraising if that doesn't pan out. Don't worry, kiddo, we won't be home long. We'll be out of your hair soon; a month at the most, I'd figure."

 

Tim took a deep breath to steady his feelings and managed to smile. "Oh. Well, I wouldn't mind if you stayed longer. It's okay."

 

"Mm," his mother said, finishing off the last of her glass. "I doubt you'll even notice us leave, I _saw_ how busy you've been while we were away, you rascal! You'll be cleaning up the living room tomorrow."

 

"Yes, Mother."

 

"I haven't checked your grades in a while; have you been keeping up with your schoolwork?"

 

"Yes, Mother."

 

"Top scores?"

 

"Yes, Mother. Would you like to see my medals?" he offered hopefully, referring to the digital awards received for perfect scores and special accomplishments.

 

"Oh, don't bother, I'll look it up when I get a chance." She yawned. "Goodness, that _was_ a long flight, wasn't it! I'm bushed."

 

"Go on back to bed, son," Jack Drake said, patting Tim's shoulder. "We'll see you in the morning."

 

"Yes, Father."

 

Tim went up to his room and bundled pillows under the blankets to make it look like a child might be sleeping there. Then he crept out again and hid, watching, until his parents disappeared into their room for the night.

 

Tim exhaled and hurried up to the attic. "Riku?"

 

"Tim?"

 

"Sorry," Tim said, meeting the other boy halfway. "They...they might be here for a while, maybe a month. Do you...? Are you okay being in the attic for that long, or do you want to go home...?"

 

The corner of Riku's mouth quirked in a small, mirthless grin. "Honestly, I'd rather be bored in your attic for a month than go home."

 

"Oh." Tim was simultaneously relieved and worried that his friend's home was bad enough that he'd rather hide in an attic for weeks than return there. "Okay. Let's get everything set up for you, we might not get the chance when they're awake."

 

They carried up everything they could think of that Riku might need. Entertainment, of course, and also food, bedding, and Tim even thought to bring a bucket to use as an emergency toilet in case Riku didn't have the chance to sneak to the closest bathroom without being caught. "Maybe you can shower at night?" Tim suggested, thinking hard. "In my room, and I'll lock myself in the bathroom with you so my parents will think it's me if they check."

 

They tried it the next night, and everything went well. (In fact, they did it every night the whole week, and the Drakes never came to check.) "Tim, is there any more shampoo?" Riku asked, reaching around the edge of the shower curtain to wave the empty bottle.

 

"Oh, yes, I think so." Tim fished around in the cabinet until he found a full bottle. "What have you been doing for the last ten minutes?" he wondered as he handed it over.

 

Riku gave him an odd look. "Washing my hair."

 

"But...why would you need more shampoo if you already shampooed it...?"

 

"I only got to wash it twice with the old bottle."

 

"...You wash your hair twice??"

 

Riku was now matching Tim's mystified stare. "Don't...don't you wash your hair three times?"

 

".......No?"

 

"No?!" There was a long pause. "Why not...?"

 

Tim was now wondering if he'd gone his whole life not knowing how to bathe properly. "Because...when you wash it once, it's clean, so...there's no need to wash it more than that...? Until your next shower, I mean."

 

Riku stared at the bottle. Then he turned it over to read the directions. "It doesn't say anything about washing more than once," he said blankly.

 

"How come you wash your hair three times?"

 

"Because...Father told us to...." After a long pause, Riku's face suddenly hardened and his grip tightened. He practically slammed the shampoo down next to the other bottles. "What about conditioner?" he demanded. "How many times?"

 

"Just...just once," Tim said warily. "I think. Maybe I'm wrong. But you can definitely conditioner, I mean condition three times if you want! It's okay!"

 

"Do _normal_ people only wash their hair once?" Riku stormed. "Are _you_ the weird one, or is it ME?"

 

"I don't know!" Tim cried, nearly in tears. "Mom and Dad never told me to do it more than once when I was little, but they're probably wrong! I'm sorry, Riku!"

 

Riku, realizing belatedly that he was upsetting his friend, quickly softened. "I'm sorry, Tim, you're not the one I'm mad at. You're probably right. I am going to use all of these bottles only _once_ , because I want to be NORMAL like you." He slammed the shower curtain closed.

 

Tim, tears starting to dribble down his cheeks, put his hand on the doorknob but then snatched it back again when he remembered that he was only in the bathroom in the first place to guard Riku in case his parents came in to see why there was water running. He spent the rest of Riku's shower crouched on the floor, wiping tears from his face and fiercely willing himself to _stop crying_. When the water finally shut off, he gasped and straightened, trying to breathe and look normal instead of like an idiot crybaby.

 

"May I please have a towel?" Riku asked.

 

"Mm-hm," Tim murmured, putting one in the hand reaching from behind the shower curtain. He made himself breathe deeply and actually managed to have a smile on his face by the time Riku pushed the shower curtain aside.

 

Riku stared. "Are you okay?"

 

"Mm-hm!" Tim hummed brightly, knowing he'd burst into stupid tears again if he tried to speak.

 

"I-- I didn't mean to get angry. I was angry at my family, not at you."

 

"Mm-hm!"

 

Tim waited until Riku was dressed and safely settled in the attic. Then he returned downstairs and broke down crying again, sobbing freely and dismally as he walked to his father's study and turned on the computer. The tears wouldn't stop the whole time he was typing, until he finally stared at the screen, looking at the seventh confirmation he'd found that it was normal to wash one's hair only once during a shower.

 

Tim drew in shuddering breaths, trying to calm down. His body and emotions apparently refused to believe that everything was okay now and he wasn't in trouble, but at least he knew it with his mind. He turned the computer off again and went back to his room. He felt exhausted when he lay down and pulled the covers over his head, and he soon fell asleep.

 

TBC

 

A/N: The shampoo stuff in this chapter references my Kingdom Hearts one-shot _Why I Ward Off Darkness_ ( <https://archiveofourown.org/works/947341/chapters/1908117> ). For a full, chronological list of my Kingdom Hearts canon-based fics, including my whole headcanon about the Crescent family, see my fanfic index here: https://raberbagirl.wordpress.com/indexkhcanon/


	3. Alternate scenario: A Friend in the Attic - Part 3

**_When the Shadows Reach Gotham_ ** **, a Batman / Kingdom Hearts / Final Fantasy VII crossover fanfic by Raberba girl**

**Alternate scenario: A Friend in the Attic - Part 3 (rough draft)**

 

About a week after the Drakes left, Riku started to notice that the days when Tim slept in later than usual were also the days when he seemed fatigued, dragging and spacey despite enthusiastically trying to rally himself every time Riku made an activity suggestion. At last, when Tim fell asleep at the computer while doing schoolwork even though he'd insisted that morning that he'd been perfectly fine, Riku resolved to get to the bottom of the mystery on his own.

 

He started taking naps during the day so that it would be easier to stay awake at night. (Tim seemed to really appreciate the nap idea, too, though simply because he was so tired.) It paid off on the third night. Riku was lying motionless in bed, thinking idly about his book list for the next time they took the bus to the library, when he felt Tim sit up and quietly get out of bed.

 

Riku tensed for a moment, then remembered to keep his breathing even and deep. He listened hard as Tim crept almost soundlessly across the room and out the door.

 

As soon as the latch clicked, Riku got even more silently out of bed and listened until he heard Tim's footsteps retreat. Then he carefully opened the door and moved down the hall.

 

Peering around the corner, he saw Tim changing into a set of sturdy clothes that he'd pulled out of a bag on the floor beside him. Once Tim was dressed, he went downstairs, briefly pulled a couple of cameras out of the bag to check over them, then heaved the pack onto his back and resolutely left the house, re-arming the security system behind him.

 

Since the security system would beep if it was disarmed again, Riku was stuck in the house until Tim was out of earshot, but he made sure to take careful note of the direction Tim headed in. He used the time to get dressed for an excursion and stock up on materia and supplies. Then he got the bike he'd been using out of the garage, cast Haste on himself for speed, caught up to Tim, and then began tailing him from a distance.

 

It was a good thing he had the Time materia, because Tim was on an electric bike. Riku kept running out of MP and having to pedal at a normal speed until his MP recharged enough for him to cast Haste again. He nearly lost Tim a few times, but it was pretty clear that the other boy was making a beeline for the city, and Riku luckily caught sight of him again just before they reached a part of town where the traffic started picking up.

 

Tim eventually hid his bike in a stranger's unlocked storage shed and continued on foot. Riku, mystified, kept following on his bike, glad that there were soon enough people around to keep himself hidden in the crowd unless Tim happened to look up and pay enough attention to spot him. He wished he'd thought to tie up and cover his distinctive hair.

 

Tim stopped outside a coffee shop at one point to check his phone, then grinned and rapidly tapped at the screen for a minute before swiping away and continuing to surf more leisurely.

 

Eventually, a taxi pulled up to the curb. "Hi, Jeannie," Tim said as he got into the back seat and shut the door.

 

Riku was exasperated. He cast Haste again in order to keep up with the vehicle, which traveled steadily closer to the heart of the city. At some point, as the buildings grew more and more run down and the pedestrians grew more ragged and sketchy, Riku started being catcalled, which alarmed and then angered him. He could handle himself in a fight, particularly against untrained thugs, but any encounter would cost him his chase, and he did _not_ want to be lost and alone in the middle of Gotham City.

 

Thankfully, the cab stopped and Tim got out just before Riku ran out of MP again. Tim thanked the driver and immediately disappeared into an alley, where he found a service ladder and climbed up to the roof. Riku was forced to abandon his bike in order to continue the pursuit.

 

Several rooftops later, Riku finally discovered his friend's mission. Tim approached the sounds of fighting, crouched on the edge of a rooftop, and started taking photos. Riku, edging as close as he could get to the side of the roof while remaining hidden behind some kind of electrical box, peered over and saw Batman and Robin on the ground below, beating up a gang of thugs who seemed to have been attempting to rob a bank.

 

When the fight finally ended, emergency vehicles were on their way, and the Bats had taken off, Tim called another cab. As he was waiting for it, hiding behind a dumpster so as not to attract unwanted attention, Riku realized that he needed to reveal himself now or he'd be stranded. "Tim."

 

The other boy's head shot up. "R...Riku?"

 

"What are you _doing_?"

 

"Uh...."

 

A long silence passed.

 

"I had to ditch your bike," Riku finally said. "I don't think I'll be able to find it again."

 

"It's okay. We'll order another one online; Mother and Father won't notice."

 

There was another pause. "Tim," Riku finally said, "why are you chasing Batman and Robin around?"

 

Tim squirmed. "Because...they're cool, and I like...to get pictures of them...and stuff...."

 

"Why didn't you _tell_ me? This is dangerous, Tim. I can protect you if anything goes wrong."

 

"I-- Because, well...." Tim looked at him anxiously. "I can't tell you who Batman and Robin are."

 

"What does that have to do with anything?"

 

Tim stared. "Don't you want to know?"

 

Riku didn't particularly care one way or the other. "Only if you want to tell me."

 

"No! I mean, I _want_ to, but I can't, it's important to keep their secret. I thought...I just thought you'd be mad at me that I couldn't tell you, and I...don't want...."

 

Riku sighed. "I don't care who Batman and Robin are. Just take me with you from now on, okay?"

 

Tim looked so hopeful. "Really? You're not mad?"

 

"Just that you didn't tell me you were sneaking out alone. But it's okay, I won't be mad if you don't leave me behind."

 

Tim exhaled in relief. Then he grinned. "I'll show you how I develop my pictures. I take them on actual film, I like it better than digital. But I take digital pictures, too."

 

"Yeah, I know," Riku said, grinning back. He knew that Tim had a whole collection of photographs of him and their adventures, though he seemed camera shy himself - he always seemed uncomfortable whenever Riku wanted to take a picture of him, or a selfie of the two of them together.

 

The cab arrived, and Riku was surprised when Tim didn't ask the driver, whom he seemed to know, to take them to his house. Instead, they got dropped off on a seemingly random street, and Tim confidently led Riku up to another rooftop. "Now we're on stakeout," he explained, digging out snacks and bottled juice. "Whenever I lose Batman and Robin, I like to watch the GCPD headquarters, because they come here a lot, sometimes even if the Bat Signal's not on. I've got some good pictures of them, especially Robin, while they're talking to the commissioner."

 

They waited for over an hour, chatting and snacking. The Signal had been on for twenty minutes when there was a faint whizzing sound, and then two shapes alighted on the GCPD roof. Tim suppressed a squeal of excitement and snatched up his camera.

 

Riku wanted to laugh, because Batman looked both cool and amusingly dramatic, crouched like an animal above the waiting commissioner with his jagged black cape flowing in the wind. Riku couldn't hear anything that was said, but Tim was happily snapping away.

 

Riku did laugh right at the end - the commissioner turned away to reach for the Signal's switch, and the Bats instantly fled. Their speed was remarkable; by the time the commissioner straightened up and turned back, the vigilantes were nowhere to be seen on the roof. They were, in fact, swinging away out of sight, but it had been kind of hilarious seeing their mad scramble to get off the roof before anyone saw them (that they knew of). Robin didn't look too odd, since he was a kid, but seeing Batman's undignified hurry had been the best. "Have you ever filmed that?" Riku asked.

 

"I _should_ ," Tim said fervently. "Next time."

 

Now that the show was over, they took another cab to the entrance of the neighborhood where Tim had stashed his bike. They had to ride together on the way home, taking turns pedaling whenever the other needed a break. It was nearly 3:00 a.m. by the time they got back to Drake Manor and to bed, and this time, Riku slept in as late as Tim did.

 

o.o.o.o.o

 

The next time Riku was summoned back to Midgar, it was more forcefully than before. Tim, his heart pounding, watched from his hiding place as two silver-haired men dragged his friend out of the house. Luckily, they were slow closing the gangway, and Tim managed to sneak aboard their ship before they took off.

 

The flight was not a long one, but it was nerve-wracking once they landed. Tim crept out of the ship, but soon lost Riku and his brothers in the maze of corridors. There were also fewer places to hide in the sterile, military environment, and Tim was soon caught. The soldiers seemed to have absolutely no idea what to do with him, since he'd been found in a secure location and couldn't simply be released into the city without processing. Tim was locked in a bare holding cell, where he felt very small and helpless.

 

Finally, the doors whooshed open and a familiar spiky-haired man came in. "Mr. Zack!" Tim exclaimed in surprise and relief.

 

The SOLDIER smiled at him. "Riku's friend! Tim, right?"

 

"Yes, sir."

 

"You're pretty far from home. Did you come here with Riku?"

 

"Yes...."

 

Zack held out his hand. "Wanna come with me and see if we can find him?"

 

"Yes, please," Tim said gratefully, latching onto the man's hand.

 

It took a long time and a lot of asking, but Zack finally discovered that Riku had been taken to the medical wing for some kind of testing. "Hm. Well, we should be able to see him once he's done, but in the meantime...you wanna try some training with my squad?"

 

"Yes," Tim said cautiously, simply because he did not want to be separated from the one friendly, recognizable person in this scary place.

 

Though it turned out that the soldiers in Zack's squad were pretty friendly, too. They good-naturedly teased Tim and did a lot of hair-ruffling and shoulder-patting, and helped him dress in a set of armor that had apparently been originally designed for Riku. "Let's see how you do on an M-M64 run," Zack said with a twinkle in his eye. He led the way to some kind of simulator room, started up the holograms, and then came a couple of hours of what felt like an extremely intense and immersive game of laser tag.

 

Tim was both keyed up and exhausted by the end of it. Although he was a little leery of the glowing green bottle he was handed afterward, he decided to drink it when he saw everyone else downing their own 'Potions' without hesitation. The liquid was extremely refreshing, and had the added bonus of healing all the cuts and scraps he'd accumulated during the session. "This is really good! It's like those HP balls."

 

"Yeah, the molecular makeup and restorative effects are nearly identical," Zack said, "which is kind of weird, since we've been manufacturing Potions long before the first known Heartless ever showed up."

 

"Maybe the people were carrying Potions when they got turned into Heartless, and the Potions turned into HP balls instead of disappearing or getting lost."

 

"Huh. Maybe," Zack said, looking very thoughtful.

 

They all went to the communal shower area, where Tim tried not to stare. He'd never had a clear view of a naked adult before, much less a whole room full of them, but no one else seemed to care, so he tried to pretend he didn't care, either, and to not to be shy about getting undressed in public. Zack seemed to notice, anyway, and fetched a pair of shorts that Tim could wear while showering. "Then you can change into a full set of dry clothes afterward."

 

"Thank you," Tim said, both grateful and hugely embarrassed that he was obvious enough about his discomfort that someone felt the need to coddle him.

 

"No problem, kiddo. You're a guest, not a soldier, and it's okay to feel uncomfortable with things other people take for granted."

 

Once they got to Zack's quarters, they found Riku lying on the bed, half-asleep and looking pale and miserable. "Aw, kiddo," Zack said gently, sitting down on the edge and laying a hand on Riku's forehead, under his silkily sweaty bangs. "You okay?"

 

"No."

 

"You want some ice cream?"

 

"........Yes," Riku finally mumbled.

 

"Okay. Sit tight, I'll get some for all of us. Tim will stay here with you."

 

The three of them ate ice cream and watched part of a movie together, then Zack had to leave to fulfill some duties. Riku and Tim stayed curled up on his bed, watching the rest of the movie. "What happened?" Tim whispered. "Did someone do something to you?"

 

"Just some tests. I'll feel better in the morning, I did last time."

 

"But it hurts now?"

 

"Not _hurts_ , just...not good." Riku hid his face against Tim's leg. "I hate going to the labs," he said, his voice muffled.

 

".....I think maybe they shouldn't be allowed to. Like...maybe it's child abuse."

 

"I don't count as a child, I'm a test subject. Because Mother is Shinra's property and Father is their SOLDIER, so my brothers and I are Shinra's property, too. That's what the law says."

 

Tim felt his eyes widen. "That's...that's...wrong. You're a person, you're not property."

 

"I don't feel like a person when they're strapping me down and injecting things into me...."

 

Tim was starting to feel sick and panicky. He climbed off the bed and crouched down so he could look at his friend's face. "Riku, does Zack think you're property, too?"

 

"No, Zack is nice. So was Angeal, and a lot of the soldiers. The doctors, though...most of them talk about me like I don't have a brain, even when they're touching me and doing things to me and I'm _right there_. I hate it."

 

Tim clenched his teeth. "Riku, we have to go back home, except maybe not my house anymore because they know they can find you there. Maybe...maybe Mr. Wa--"

 

"They can find me anywhere," Riku said wearily. "I have Mother's cells. It doesn't matter where I run, they'll find me."

 

Tim wanted to cry. "They shouldn't be allowed to hurt you, Riku. They shouldn't be _allowed_."

 

"I wish I was like you...I wish no one cared about me so that they wouldn't want to hurt me."

 

Tim really did start crying then, covering his face to try to muffle the sounds. Then Riku started crying, too, and Tim climbed back on the bed to hold him, and they clung to each other until they fell asleep.

 

o.o.o.o.o

 

Tim was restless all night, and jumped out of bed the instant a blaring wake-up call came out of the speaker near the ceiling. Zack, who'd slept on a mat on the floor because his bed had been occupied, groaned and pulled a pillow over his head.

 

"Tim?" Riku called, blinking groggily.

 

"Riku? Do you feel better?"

 

"Yeah, I'm okay."

 

"We have to go home. We have to go as soon as possible."

 

Riku seemed lethargic and Zack insisted on feeding them breakfast first, and then he had a training session with his squad and then a short meeting. Finally, though, he was able to fly the boys back to Prime Earth and the mansion, and Tim was never so glad to see Drake Manor in his life.

 

"Bye, Zack," Riku said, hugging the man.

 

"See you around, Ri," Zack said, hugging him back. He smiled at Tim, who returned the gesture stiffly. "You okay, Tim?"

 

"Yes."

 

"All right. Well, you guys look after each other, okay?"

 

As soon as they went into the house, Riku went back to sleep on a couch in the living room. Tim went to his father's computer and grimly started looking up child abuse laws. He knew, even before starting, that there was probably nothing a couple of eight-year-olds could do about it when the abused child in question was a citizen of an entirely different world whose powerful legal guardians would fight to keep their grip on him, but researching still made him feel a little better.

 

TBC

 

A/N: I'm pretty sure Tim here is younger than he was in canon when he started stalking Batman & Robin, but whatever; this isn't the main story, anyway, so I'll tweak things to fit. ^^;;

 

It's _possible_ that there might be just one chapter left of this!


End file.
